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God of War Fans: Do Not Read This Comic
Today, the first issue of the God of War comic came out. I've been curious about it ever since it was announced; as a big fan of the series, I'm interested in the story behind Kratos and his fury. So, naturally, I decided to read the comic to find out more about my favorite Spartan. Guh... what a huge mistake.
Even for the hardcore God of War devotee, this tale offers nothing of value. I don't say this out of some kind of inherent dislike for expanded content; I've read (and enjoyed!) both Mass Effect novels, but this God of War comic is really rough going. Even with an established writer like Marv Wolfman at the helm, the main problem is that the comic doesn't satisfy any of its audiences. As a God of War fan, I didn't think the story made much sense, and it doesn't contribute to the overall lore of the universe; it just seems to be setting Kratos up for another fetch-quest. As an occasional comic-reader, the writing seems exceptionally low quality to me, with descriptions and dialogue that read more like parodies of the style.
The stuff that sounded the coolest – how the comic would flesh out Kratos' childhood – also falls flat. Kratos as a kid is basically just an excuse to explain how Sparta is all hardcore, and they kill the weak kids, etc. You know, stuff that everyone learned (if they didn't know already) when 300 came out. The art is kind of neat – it's stylish, if nothing else, though the shadowy panels leave you looking at silhouettes more often than the cool, detailed art that has defined God of War for years.
If you have a choice between reading this comic and doing something else, you should do something else...like play God of War III again. Anyway, here's the full cover image, so you'll know what to avoid the next time you pick up your comics:
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